Vending-machine



D.F.s,joooK. VENDI-NG MACHINE.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Patented Mar. 20,1894.

/I/l/IIA y UNrTED STATES PATENT EErcE.

DAVID F. S. COOK, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

vVENDING-MA'CHIN'E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 516,675, dated March20, 1894.

Application filed J'uly 3, 1893. Serial No` 479,460. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID F. S. COOK, a citizen of `,the United States,residing at Kokomo, county of Howard, and State of Indiana, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Postal-Card, Envelope, andPostage-Stamp Vending Machines, of which the following is aspecification. v

My invention relates to new and useful im# -provementsl in an apparatusfor vending envelopes, postal cards, and postage stamps, and consists inmechanism controlled by the insertion of a coin or-coins which operatethe mechanism for discharging the envelope, postal card, or postagestamp, and will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that will operateto deliver a postal card, stamp, or envelope to a purchaser without theintervention of an attendant or clerk. I attain this object by means ofthe apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similarnumbers and letters of reference designate like parts throughout theseveral viewsin which- Figure 1 isa side sectional elevation of theapparatus showing the mechanism thereof.

Fig.'2. is a front sectional elevation of th'e same. Fig. 3. is asectional plan of the same. Fig. 4,.v is a perspective detail brokenview of the rear racks of the operating mechanism. Fig. 5. is aperspective detail sectional view of the conducting tubes. Fig. 6 is abroken view of a portion of the front of the apparatus showing the slotswherein the coins are v inserted, and the operating lever of theapparatus. Fig. 7. is a perspective View of the rams or plungers forpushing the coins along the conducting tube and against the operatingracks. Fig. ,8; is a detail sectional View of a broken oi portion of oneof the 'vertical shafts showing the yielding or flexible torsionaljoint; and Fig. 9. is a View of the slats of the envelope rack andshowing the manner of connecting their ends in plan and elevation.

The mechanism of the apparatus is inclosed in a casing 1, which issubdivided into several interior compartments. The compartment 2,inclosesthe operating mechanism, the compartment 3, the coins, thecompartment 4, the postal card carrier racks, and the com partment 5,the envelope carrier racks.

Thepostage stamp mechanism is composed ot a spool or reel 6 journaled insuitable supporting bearings 7, which are firmly secured tothesupporting bar 8, rmly secured to` ous ribbon of postage stamps has itsdelivery end passed over the topof the periphery of the stamp wheel 9and between the bite of said wheel and its holding or pressure drum 9,and in such a manner as to cause the holding pins 10, which are spacedat regular yintervals across the face of and around the periphery of thewheel 9, to properly engage or register with the punctures formedbetween the stam ps. The holding drum 9, has a series of peripheralgrooves formed around its face and at such a distance apart as to permitthe pins 10 of the stamp wheel 9,'to

pass or clear. The stamp wheel 9 is journaled in suitable bearings 1l,formed integral with the casing of the apparatus. One end of the journal12 of the stamp wheel 9is extended beyond its bearing'll, and has thedetent or ratchet wheel 13, the throw-out cam wheel 14, and the bevelWheel 1.5, firmly secured thereon. The pawls 16, and 17, are adapted toalternately engage the teeth 18, at the top and bottom sides of thewheel13, and are pivoted at their opp'osite ends to the throwout lever19. The throw-out lever 19, is pivoted on its supporting bracket 20,rmiy se-` cured on the cross stay or bar 8, and has its lower swingingend provided with a roller 2l. with which the cam 22, formed on the topof the rack bar 23, contacts to swing said lever 19, backwardly to movethe throw out toe 24, against the pawl 16, to disengageit from one ofthe. bottom teeth 18, and to permit the stamp wheel to rota-te till thep'awl 17, engages the next consecutive toot-h 18. The pawls 16, and 17,are provided with a tension spring 25, which moves them toward eachother and into contact with the teeth of the detent wheel. In order thatthe pawl 17, may

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not drop into engagement before the detent wheel 13 has rotatedsufficiently to discharge one stamp, I provide ,the roller 26, which is`journaled in the fork holder 27, which is adapted to slidelongitudinallyin the socket 28, formed on the top edge of the paw117,which sliding piece is surrounded by a coil spring 29, between itsroller and the end of said socket which permits the roller to slightlyrecede or yield when suddenly dropped on the cam retaining teeth 30,formed on the cam wheel14. The stamp wheel is rotated by means of itsbevel wheel 15 meshing with the bevel wheel 31, on the shaft 32, saidshaft journaled in suitable bearings 33, and 34, and having the bevelwheel 35 meshing with the bevel wheel 36, loosely mounted on thevertical shaft 37, which shaft is journaled in its bearing 38, securedon the cross-bar 39, and journaled at its bottom end to thefloor of thecompartment 2. The top end of the drivingshaft 37, is surrounded with acoil spring 40, which is secured at its top end to the top of said shaftand at its bottom end to the bevel wheel 36, thereby forming a yieldingconnection or coupling by which means the said shaft is permitted torotate to some extent when either of the pawls 16, or 17, engage thedetent teeth, 18, to stop the rotation of said shaft, 3,2, and thewheels positively connected thereto. On the lower end of the shaft 37,is firmly secured the ratchet -wheel 41, with which the pawl 42, pivotedon the wheel 43, engages, which latter wheel works loosely on said shaftand only operates to rotate said shaft 37, when rotated in the directionof the arrows as shown in Fig. 3.

The envelope operating shaft 44, and the postal card shaft 45, areoperated by mechanism substantially similar in construction andoperation to the motion of the stamp mechanism already described, andeach of the operating parts of the one or right hand sidecorrespondswith each of the similar parts of the opposite or left-handside so that the addition of a prime added to the designating figures onthe one side will suffice to designate the parts corresponding with theparts represented on the opposite side by plain numbers. The shaft 44',as is also theI similarly operated shaft 45, is rotated by means of thewheels 46, and 46' mounted loosely on said shafts and provided with thepawls 47. and 47 which engage the ratchets 48. and 48 securely fastenedon the lower sections of said shafts 44.` and 45. The lower sections ofthese shafts 44, and 45, are formed with sockets adapted to receive thereduced lower ends of the top sections of said shafts, each of saidsections being surrounded with a coil-spring 44, and 45, (similar to thespring 40,) and have their top and bottom ends secured in any suitablemanner to said top and bottom sections of said shafts to form a yieldingconnection or coupling. On the bottom ends of the top sections otsaid-shafts are firmly secured the bevel wheels 49. and 49 meshingoperated to move toward each other to en gage said detent wheelorlratchet when released. Pawls las 55. and 56. are pivoted to thethrow-out levers 59. and 59. which latter levers are pivoted on theirsupporting bearings 54. andv 54' and have their throw-out toes' 60.adapted to raise and to lower the pawls 55. and 56. out of engagement;said levers having their lower swinging ends forked to pivotally receivethe cam rollers 61. and 61 with which the cams 62. and 62', formed onthe top edges of the racks 63. and 63. contact to swing said leversbackward-ly to move the throw-out toe 60. against the pawl 55. todsengage it from one of the top detents of the wheel 51. and

permit a partial rotation of the shafts 44. and 45. till either thelower pawls 56. engages its nextconsecutive tooth. In order that thepawl 56. does not engage before the detent wheel 51.has rotated adistance equal to the space from the center of one tooth to the centerof the next consecutive tooth I provide the roller 64 pvoted in the forkpiece 65, which latter piece is adapted to slide longitudinally in itssocket 66, formed on the end of said pawl 56, and is surrounded with acoil spring 67, extending between its roller and the socket of the pawland by which the roller 64, is permitted to recedein the same manner andunder the same conditions as the roller of the pawl 17. previouslydescribed.

On the top ends of the shafts 44. and 45. are firmly secured the bevelwheels 67. and 67' which 'mesh with the bevel wheels 68 and 68 firmlysecured on the shafts 69. and 69 which are journaled in the side wallsof the partitions 4. and 5 and in the center bearing 70.

In order that the shafts 44. and 45. be permitted to rotate in onedirection only, I provide the ratchet wheels 7l. and 7l firmly securedon said shafts and having their teeth adapted to engage the pawls 72.and 72only when rotated in a direction opposite to that which theyshould move.

In each of the ccnpartlnents 4. and 5. are inclosed endless chainracksbetween the leaves or vanes 73. and 73 of which are inserted postalcards or envelopes one to each rack or division. The leaves or vanes 73.and 73 are secured in any suitable manner to their beveled slats 74.(see Fig. 1.) the ends of 4 which are rounded or trunnion formed andpivotally connected to the chain links 75. to form an endless chain,said beveled bottom edges of said slats adapted to work in the toothedwheels 76. by which they are traversed and in the carrier wheels 77. atthe front end of the interior of the machine. It

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will be readily seen that when the vane or slata, is moved to theposition occupied by the slat'b, the postal 'card or envelope containedtherein will fall `by gravity into-the delivery slot-78.` onto the table79. The racks 23. 63. and 63'. are formed alike and are providedwith'fthe tongue-pieces'SO, all of which are adapted to accurately titand to slide 1ongitudinally in their guidetubes 8l. Each of the tongues80; are slotted midway between their top and bottom edges for a portionof their lengths for the purpose of permitting the plunger 82, to movethe full extent of its stroke without contacting the plunger 8Oto moveand to -operate the mechanism con? nectedtheretoas in such cases where aperson attempts to operate the mechanism without insertingthe propercoin or coins. The tubes 81. are also provided with horizontal slots 81asee Fig. 5, which in tersect the por-v tion of their vertical slots, andin which the plungers 82, slide, each of which plungers is connected bya crosshead 83, which has the toothed rack 84. formed thereon and theteeth of which mesh with segmental end 85, of the operating lever 86.The lever 86, is pivoted at or. near its center on the bracket 87, se-

cured to the casing of the machine.l Between the handle and the pivotalpoint ofthe lever 86, is the rack or segment 88, vsecured to a suitablesupporting bracket on the casing of the machine; said segment having itsfront end 89,y raised higher than the top of its ratchet teeth and isprovided for the purpose of raising the pawl 90, out of gear when thesaid lever 86, has reached 'thelimitof-YitsY stroke. The segment is alsoprovided with the cam 9l,form ed on its opposite end and' is for thepurpose of throwing said pawl into engaging position in which positionit is held by its retaining spring 92, when the said operating leverhasreceded into its normal position. In order that the operating lever86, may, whenv having completed its stroke, automatically return to its'normal position,I provide the tension spring 93, secured to said leverand to a suitable retaining hook secured to the casing of the machine.The coin conducting tubes 94, connect with the vertical slots formed inthe conducting tubes 81, and are of the width and depthsuflicient topermit the c oins as pennies, to freely pass through.

In the under sides of the tubesBl, between the plun gers or rams 82, andthe racks tongues coins to contact theA end of the operating tongues'80,ofthe operating racks by which the mechanism is pnt in motion. Theoperation of the machine is as fol- .lowsr- Toohtain a. postage stamp,valued at 7o two' cents, `two pennies or cents are inserted into thecentral or postage stamp tube, from the outside of the machine (as shownin Figs., 1 3. and 6.-) and said pennies fall by gravity into the tube81,jnst in advance of the plunger 82, and in front of the bridge 95. Theoperating lever 86, is now pulled toward the operator till it is movedto the end of its stroke till the plungers 82 vhave moved forward sul`1i` ciently to cansethe coins to contact and to 8o press against thetongues of plunger 23, which' causes its rack to gear or mesh with thedriving wheel 43, to turn the shaft 37 against the resisting tension ofthe spriug40. Simultaneous with this movement of the shaft 37, or nearly85 so the cam 22, contacts with the roller 21, to swing the lever 19,backwardly to cause the toe 24, to contact with the pawl 16,to'disengage it from its detent tooth 18 and to permit the stamp wheelto rotate y'the distance 9o from the center of one tooth to the centerof the next consecutive tooth,thatis, the length of a singlepostage'stamp. Immediately the lever 86, is releasedand permitted torecede into its normal position the plunger'82,re- 95 cedes and the racksprings s, force the racks 22, backward-to cause theplunger's 80, torecede and to push" the coins back against the bridge 95, whichimmediately `opens when the' end of the ram or plunger 82, passesitsedge' rco therebyintercepting the further movement to drop into thechamber 3, through the recess under the tube 8l. It will be seen .thatthe rack 23, receded into its normal position,vits [o5 cam 22, permitsthe lever 19, to' swing backward to its original position thereby disengaging the pawl 17, and causing the pawl 16, to engage with its tooth18,*before the pawl 17 is fully disengaged therebyv locking the noratchet or detent wheel and preventing any further rotation of the stampwheel 9, till ysuch times as the necessary coins have been insertedinthe slot to repeat the operation. The mechanisms for vending postalcards and x15 envelopes are similar in their operation to the mechanismjust explained, with the exception of the discharging and carryingracks,

`which have been already described and will not reqnireany furtherexplanation.v

12o Having thus fnllydescrbed the construc- `tion |`and operation "bf myinvention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to cover byLetters Patent of the United States' therefor, is-

v 1. In a stamp vending machine, a stamp wheel having a series of barbsor pins projecting 'from its peripheral surface', said pins ar-v rangedin single rows across the face of and divided or spaced with equalspaces between 13o said rows round said peripheral surface, andacompressing drum havin gperipheralgrooves Y-off thecoinsvin the 'tibe'81,"and eansingthein wv #Jil dpted t register with the lpins of thesaid y, erated` to canse the said pawls to alternately stamp wheel, of aratchet wheel adapted to rotate with said barbed wheel, pawls onopposite sides 0f Said ratchet wheel., a cam wheel between said pawlsandsuitable means wherebythe Baird pawls and the said cam are opengageand disengage their ratchet wheel to permit a partial rotation of saidstamp wheel, substantially as and for the-purpose set forth.

2. In` a stamp vending machine, the combination with a stamp wheel andits retaining roll, of a ratchet wheel, a cam wheel having a `series ofcams equal in number to theteeth of said ratchet wheel said cam wheeladapted to turn withv said ratchet wheel, pawls on oppositesids 'of saidratchet wheel a yielding cam roller on one ofsaid pawls apd a swinginglever' adapted to disengage said pawls, and suitable means for rotatingsaid ratchet ywheel and operating said swinginglever, substantiallyasset forth.;

' 3. In a stamp or oth'r vending machine, the

combination with a rotative stamp wheel, andin number to the teeth ofsaid ratchet wheel,

pawls on opposite sides of said' ratchet wheel, a yielding cam roller onthe end of one of said pawls and a swing-lever adapted to disengage saidpawls,a reciprocating rack havinga cam adapted to contact the swingingend of said lever, a wheel engaging said rack, a shaft .adaptesatclirrnin 011edirectiQaP'ly. with said wheel, a wheel loosely mounted on saidshaft and driving (directly or through intermediate. gearing) saidratchet and its cam wheel, a spring secured on said driving. shaft andhaving one secured to thelatter driving wheel, a coin conducting tubewherein the operating tongue and rack plunger slide longitudinallyaudsuitable means whereby the coins are introd uced between the said tongueand plunger, substantially as set forth.

4. In a vending machine, thecombination with a coin conducting tubehaving longitudinal coin conducting slots formed therein,

having their ends pivoted at their ends to 6o endless carrying chains,wings` or vanes secured on the upper or` outer edges'of` said slats,pulleys having triangular; grooves e'xtending across their bearingfacesand equally pitched or divided round their peripheries and adapted toreceive and to accurately iit the wedge formed edges of said slats, andsuitable means for rotating, said pulleys to traverse said rack,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a vending machine, a pivotal operating lever having a segmentaltoothed end and a handle end, a pawl pivoted on said lever, a pawlspring contacting said pawl, a toothed segment with which said vpawlengages, cams formed on the ends of said segment, adapted ,to throw saidpawls into or out of engagement Vwithtlie teethmof, said segment,substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DAVID F. S. COOK. Witnesses:

LEX J. KIRKPATRICK, r M. P. ELLIo'rr.

